Apple car plans envision release as early as 2020

posted by Victor H. / Feb 20, 2015, 5:04 AM

The big news from the last couple of days is that more and more evidence mounts up to testify that Apple is working on a car, and the latest scoop by Bloomberg reveals that Cupertino might be ready to unveil the electric vehicle as early as 2020.

The alleged Apple Car (the iCar?) will face electric vehicle rivals from the likes of Tesla Model III, the $35,000 sedan that is planned to come in 2017 and sport a massive, 200-mile range. The 200-mile range has often been said to be a milestone, ‘the inflection point’ (in the words of Steve LeVine) that will bring on electric cars to a true mainstream level.

Apple certainly has the cash to build out car operations quickly. With $178 billion in the bank and a net profit of north of $18 billion in its last (and strongest so far) quarter, the company could easily buy out the multi-billion facilities. With the example set by Tesla, it is now clear that the barriers for entering the automotive industry are not as high as one would imagine.

At the same time, many analysts and insiders like former Apple executive Jean-Louis Gassee have put reports about the Apple Car under serious doubt saying that the Wall Street Journal (the publication that first reported on this) is mistakenly reading Apple’s efforts in building better car info-tainment with a full-blown car production. Insiders speaking for WSJ, Bloomberg, and other media traditionally used by Apple for its controlled release of its future plans, however, continue adding more fuel to the symbolic Apple Car rumor fire.

One disclaimer is due: all reports mention that - just like with many other prototypes - the Apple Car is by no means a product that has guarantees to arrive to market. In the late fall of 2014, Tim Cook has said in an interview that Apple has many products in development that had not even leaked out yet, but the company is not going to release all of them.

Posts: 5465; Member since: Apr 05, 2013

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 7:22 AM 5

Posts: 9; Member since: Nov 23, 2014

well for starter we will see some (finger coat rappit lol ) patents from apple
1 -round wheels
2 - sharp desgin and many apple crap Patents we have sedan for 35k dolarz if the apple make it work it will be 85k dolarz and that just not fair
and also we will see massive price for that icar that can play itnues by voice lol siri and crap things alike
and as usual we trust many competitors comapnyz that has been in the
field for decade now good luck apple ripping american brain ached machines called people

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 12:20 PM 1

Posts: 6532; Member since: Feb 10, 2012

No he isn't, he gave all of Tesla's patents to the public to get other companies interested in producing EV cars. He believes in competition and how it benefits the industry, something Apple will never learn.
As for the Apple Car, i found that it will be a great move by Apple, since now it'll be a lot easier to spot iDiots like you on the road.

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 5:11 AM 8

Posts: 1016; Member since: Dec 19, 2014

Doesn't matter. All these google, apple, samsung cars will be worth sh*t. Lets face most American and Asian cars are sh*t. Only European cars are worth something in terms of technology, design, passion and soul. US cars will never get to the craftsmanship levels of EU csr manufacturers, same goes for Asian ones. Sorry, but gtr and lexus seem so outdated and ugly in comparison to their EU counterparts. US cars are cheap, which is good, but have absolute atrocious build quality.

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 5:19 AM 8

Posts: 389; Member since: Aug 26, 2013

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 5:25 AM 4

Posts: 1016; Member since: Dec 19, 2014

VW, Skoda, Alfa Romeo, Mercedes, BMW, Audi, EU Ford, Jaguar, Lancia, pagani, bentley, mini, porsche, smart, maserati, rolls, lamborghini, ferrari, just too many to name them all.
Now lets name good American car brands... Yyyyyyy.....
Yes, Peugeot isn't super awesome, but there so many other great car brands. No one even uses tesla in Europe apart from so rich few who use it for the lolz. The car has a price tag of an S-class, but the build quality of an A-class...
Also making a car is one thing, building a complete and functional service stations around the planet is another thing.

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 5:30 AM 3

Posts: 5465; Member since: Apr 05, 2013

I drive an Alfa Romeo and while I wouldn't trade it, it does has some flaws. Mainly technical, because Italians can't make cars without technical flaws. Every Ferrari is in the garage within the first year with some weird technical issue. Lamborghini is the only exception, because it's part of the VAG group, meaning German excellence. And when you look at Toyotas, they are ugly as hell (most of the time) but they do hold their value quite a lot on the second hand market.

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 7:25 AM 3

Posts: 1016; Member since: Dec 19, 2014

I agree, but that Toyota is more reliable, but alfa can make, a lot of gorgeous cars. The thing is that EU cars offer good compromise between design and build quality, but even toyota have had numerous problems with their brakes. Also I don't think they handle very well on the road. I'd pick alfa 4c over any Asian sports car :).

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 7:31 AM 1

Posts: 5465; Member since: Apr 05, 2013

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 7:41 AM 1

Posts: 78; Member since: Dec 11, 2011

You are living in a virtual reality if you believe only European cars are the best. Let's see first year driving BMW the car has issues, ordering parts for the car cost as much as a lease for a nice luxury packaged Japanese car.
Now I have been driving only Japanese cars and I have no issues with them ever.
European Cars you spend more money for the name brand than the actual technology and passion of the car.
Do not get me wrong European cars are amazing, but they also tend to break down fast and another reason why European cars do not hold face value for used cars, yet as of today Japanese cars hold their price even after 2-3 years of use and no accidents.

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 5:38 AM 2

Posts: 1016; Member since: Dec 19, 2014

Nissan GTR is such a reliable car...
Please, all cars break down from time to time. When you go for a premium brand you pay more for the car and for the parts and service. Sorry, but you can put any asian car and it will be outperformed by it's european counterpart - fact. Iphone is sh*t compared to note 4, yet it costs more, so why wouldn't bmw charge more than nissa, toyota when it's better in every way. At least you get better performance and quality for the price, which can't be said about apple PCs/phones.

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 6:02 AM 0

Posts: 109; Member since: Mar 18, 2012

American vehicles are junk compared to Asian and EU for the most part. I will agree with you on that. However, I do not agree that EU is better than Asian. Name one EU vehicle that you have personally owned and put over 200,000 miles on. Sadly, the people who actually spend their hard earned money on the overpriced luxury EU vehicles do not drive them 200,000 miles. There is a reason why Asian vehicles hold their value. They actually do what they are supposed to do without having to toss them in the trash after 100,000 miles. One of my favorite past times is watching Youtube videos of idiots crashing their Lamborghinis and Ferraris. I used to dream of owning such a vehicle. But then I grew up. I think it's funny when people spend that much money on a vehicle to make up for what they are lacking. Renewable energy is where it is at. People need to get behind that instead of these gas guzzling supercars. Just racing toward the grave of the human race, IMO.

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 5:31 AM 4

Great post, Looks like no one is buying Samsung branded S*it cars.
Decline in sales, electric vehicles and recovery attempts (2010–present):
The pressure from Hyundai and Kia, dominant automakers in the Korean market, increased during the 2010s, pushing RSM sales down by 27% in 2011. In the first half of 2012, they fell 41%. In August 2012, a personnel reduction of about 80% of employees was presented by the management.[23] Finally, Renault reduced its Busan personnel by 15% (about 800 employees). With the aim of reviving the company, it invested (together with Nissan) US$160 million to make Nissan Rogues for export in order to improve the production output[24] and also presented revised versions of the SM3 and the SM5.[25][26] During 2013 the company started to market a new compact crossover, the QM3, based on the Captur.
In 2015 they ditch the Samsung name. LMAO. Looks like Samsung brand name worth s*it in the motor world.
Thanks for the post. I have learned a lot. I'll use this post extensively in the future.

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 6:19 AM 0

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 5:39 AM 3

May I remind you that GOOGLE already have a working finish product self driving car and now trying to find a dealer to help sell their cars. Apple is just going to PATENT/SUE their competitors and put HIGH PRICE tag with a GPS system that get people lost on the road.

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 11:15 AM 0

Posts: 1016; Member since: Dec 19, 2014

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 5:14 AM 2

Posts: 1774; Member since: Jul 30, 2013

And what if by 2020ish they make a great car with amazing technologies and amazing battery life? You really think Apple would enter a brand new segment just to offer something bad? Tell me once in the last 10-15 years that apple entered with a brand new product that didn't destroy the competition. Ipod, iphone, ipad. Not to mention macs are doing amazingly well for being overpriced.

Posts: 4050; Member since: Jul 23, 2013

posted on Feb 20, 2015, 6:15 AM 2

Posts: 247; Member since: Mar 12, 2012

Limited range? Soon anyone with a Tesla will be able to go all over the US thanks to the supercharger stations that Tesla is making throughout the US. They are also building supercharger stations in the other countries where they're selling the Tesla. They even made a trip from the west coast all the way to NYC on the Model S.